you bid your son adieu for ever? Relate the dreadful vision, which I saw, I soon discerned my slaughtered Hector's shade; The living Hector! Loud he bid me fly! I started and awaked. Ceph. But did he bid you Destroy Astyanax ? Andr. Cephisa, I'll preserve him; With my own life, Cephisa, I'll preserve him. Ceph. What may these words, so full of horror, mean? Andr. Know, then, the secret purpose of my soul: Andromache will not be false to Pyrrhus, For Heaven's sake, madam, let me know your Nor violate her sacred love to Hector. griefs! If you mistrust my faith Andr. That were to wrong thee. Blow up his rage afresh, and blast your hopes? Couldst thou believe I would be false to Hector? Ceph. I cannot guess what drift your thoughts pursue; But, oh, I fear there's something dreadful in it! This hour I'll meet the king; the holy priest Ceph. Ah, madam! recollect your scattered reason; This fell despair ill suits your present fortunes. This is the sole expedient to be just Andr. No, my Cephisa; I must have thee live. Andr. Nor this, nor that, Cephisa, will I Once more I do conjure thee, live for me. The first impetuous onsets of his grief; me; Speak of our marriage; let him think I loved him; Tell him my soul reposed itself on him, I have a thousand farewells to my son : With modest pride; Pyrrhus will prove a friend : Ceph. Alas! I fear I never shall outlive you. Andr. No more: thy tears, Cephisa, will betray me; Why am I still thus anxious for his life? Enter CLEONE. Her. Oh, Cleone, help me! What have I done? Is Pyrrhus yet alive? What sayst thou? Answer me: Where is the king? Cleo. Madam, I saw the cruel prince set for- Triumphant in his looks, and full of joy. She passed along with a dejected air, And seemed to mourn her Hector to the last. Her. Insulting tyrant! I shall burst with rage! But say, Cleone, didst thou mark him well! Was his brow smooth? Say, did there not appear Some shade of grief, some little cloud of sorrow? Did he not stop? Did he not look once back? Didst thou approach him? Was he not confound ed? Did he not Assume a chearful look, but still remember- -Oh, be quick and tell me all! ed, Pleased with the sacred fife's enlivening sound, Through gazing crowds in solemn state proceeds, And, drest in fatal pomp, magnificently bleeds. SCENE II. HERMIONE alone. [Exeunt. What have I done? Where am I? Where is Pyrrhus? Defended by the strength of all his guards. Her. Enough! he dies!-the traitor! Where's Orestes? Cleo. He's in the temple with his whole retinue. Her. How! Is Orestes false? Cleo. A thousand doubts Perplex his soul, and wound him with remorse: Ye gods! What mean these horrors? I am un- His virtue and his love prevail by turns. done! My soul is on the rack! I cannot bear it : Why do I wander like some guilty ghost? He told me Pyrrhus should not fall ignobly: What brought me to this place? What keeps me Of all mankind; and fears to stain his honour. here? The court of Pyrrhus has no room for me! Did he once sigh? Bestow one pitying look? Her. Poor timorous wretch! 'tis false! he basely fears To cope with dangers, and encounter death; 'Tis that he fears:-Am I bright Helen's daughter? To vindicate her wrongs all Greece conspired; For her confederate nations fought, and kings were slain; Troy was o'erthrown, and a whole empire fell. My eyes want force to raise a lover's arm, Against a tyrant that has dared to wrong me! Cleo. Madam, like Helen, trust your cause to Greece. Her. No; I'll avenge myself! I'll to the temple! I'll overturn the altar, stab the priest ! I'll hurl destruction, like a whirlwind, round me! They must not wed! they must not live! they shall not! Let me be gone! I have no time to lose! What had he done? What could provoke thy madness, To assassinate so great, so brave a man? Orest. Oh, grant me patience, Heaven! passion, I could not bear to see him wed another, Orest. Madam, 'tis done; your orders are obey- And all my anger was excess of love. ed: The tyrant lies expiring at the altar. Her, Is Pyrrhus slain? Orest. Even now he gasps in death: Our Greeks, all undistinguished in the crowd, Flocked to the temple, and dispersed themselves On every side the altar. I was there; Pyrrhus observed me with a haughty eye, And, proud to triumph over Greece in me, From his own brows he took the diadem, And bound it on the temples of his captive; Receive, said he, my crown; receive my faith; Mine and my people's sovereign reign for ever. From this blest hour, a father to your son, I'll Scourge his foes: henceforward be he styled The Trojan king; I swear it at the altar, And call the gods to ratify my vows. His subjects, with loud acclamations, shook The spacious dome. Our Greeks, enraged, cried out, Revenge! revenge! broke through the thronging press, And rushed, tumultuous, on the unguarded king; Orest. Madam, forgive their rage. I own your vengeance had been more complete, Had Pyrrhus fallen by me, and had he known Hermione chastised him by my arm. Her. Peace, monster! peace! Go tell thy hor rid tale To savages, and howl it in the desert. Hence to thy Greeks, and boast thy foul exploits! My soul abhors them! I disclaim the deed! Begone! I know thee not! Thou fell barbarian! YOL. I. Why did you take me at my word! You saw The struggles of my soul; you heard me rave; You should have questioned me a thousand times, Yet still have doubted, and still questioned on, Before you ventured on a life so precious. Orest. Hear me but speak: Heaven knows, against my will Her. Why did you not return? Why not con sult me A second time? And, undetermined still, To do with my revenge? What drew you hither? To bring on ine the vengeful woes that haunt you? Are these the fruits of your detested love? But chiefly I renounce thee! monster, thee! [Exit. Orest. Am I awake? Where am I? Soft my soul; Be not too rash.- -Was that Hermione? Enter PYLADES, attended by Greeks. Pyl. Haste, prince; let us be gone: 'tis death to stay. Tt Andromache reigns queen: she gives the alarm, Orest. You may depart, My friendsHermione and I remain- Orest. Hermione no more!--Oh, all ye powers! Pyl. Full of disorder, wildness in her looks, With hands expanded, and dishevelled hair, Breathless and pale, with shricks she sought the temple; In the mid-way she met the corpse of Pyrrhus; She started at the sight; then, stiff with horror, Gazed frightful: waked from the dire amaze, She raised her eyes to heaven with such a look, As spoke her sorrows, and reproached the gods: Then plunged a poniard deep within her breast, And fell on Pyrrhus, grasping him in death. Orest. I thank you, gods-I never could expect To be so wretched-You have been industrious A dreadful instance of your power to punish. Pyl. You hazard your retreat by these delays. The guards will soon beset us. Your complaints Are vain, and may be fatal. Orest. True, my friend: And therefore 'twas I thanked the bounteous gods. Pyl. Alas! I fear His ravings will return with his misfortunes. Orest. I am dizzy!-Clouds !-Quite lost in utter darkness. Guide me, some friendly pilot, through the storm. Have at thee. It is Hermione that strikes-Confusion! I blaze again! See there! Look where they come; A shoal of furies-How they swarm about me! My terror! Hide me! Oh, their snakey locks! Hark, how they hiss! See, see their flaming brands! Now they let drive full at me! How they grin, And shake their iron whips! My ears! What yelling! And see, Hermione! She sets them on- Pyl. Kind Heaven restore him to his wonted calm! Oft have I seen him rave, but never thus ; [Exeunt. Enter PHENIX, attended by Guards. Phan. All, all are fled! Orestes is not here! Triumphant villains!-The base, giddy rabble, Whose hands should all have been employed with fire, To waste the fleet, flocked round the dying prin cess; And, while they stand agaze, the Greeks embark. Enter ANDROMACHE and CEPHISA. Ceph. It is the corpse of Pyrrhus. The weeping soldiers bear him on their shields. Andr. Ill-fated prince! too negligent of life, And too unwary of the faithless Greeks! Cut off in the fresh ripening prime of manhood, Even in the pride of life: thy triumphs new, And all thy glories in full blossom round thee! The very Trojans would bewail thy fate. Ceph. Alas, then, will your sorrows never end! Andr. Oh, never, never!-While I live, my |